Fitness + me

My first connection to fitness was my brother Jeff and his weight set.  I remember hearing him pump iron in his room and thinking he was too cool for school.  Indeed I thought everything he did was cool because he got to do it all, way before I did as he is 12 years my senior.  I realize now that he had two uses in mind for that weight set:  1. To attract girls via the effects of pumping iron.  2. To repel girls (me), by putting that "iron" in front his bedroom door so it couldn't be opened from the outside.  Privacy is valuable with three sisters around.

From a young age I also looked to my Aunt Melanie as a fitness inspiration.  I adored her in every way.  She was on the cusp of teaching step aerobics right when it went main stream.  I remember wishing so much that I could go to one of her classes.  

I begged my Mom to join a gym which I realize is totally whack at the young age of thirteen, but my dreams at that age happened to include a gym. A gym membership was insanely expensive back then, which meant joining one was out of the question.  The next best thing?  Waking up early on Saturday mornings to make sure I caught the hi-lo aerobic show on PBS.  This was after all back in the day when you had to watch television shows when they were actually on, otherwise that was that, you missed your one and only chance. This hi-lo program encouraged ages 10-99 to participate, after all, there was a level for everyone.  Level 1: barely moving, level 2: add some arms, level 3: dude you look like a sweaty manic.  And then to be sure you were on the right track they would ask you to march in place, take your pulse, and their target hart rate chart would flash on the screen.  Next came the big purchase of a VHS step aerobics tape, and a step to be used with said tape.  My sister and I would take turns using the  step and we eventually worked up to using two risers on each side, booyah!

 Around this time I remember thinking it would be really cool to have a job as the boy I was in love with at the time worked, so why couldn't I?  I happened to know the manager at the very gym that my Aunt Melanie had taught at several years before.  One day when a friend and I were out for a bike ride we ended up stopping in the gym to say hello and I was offered a job to work in the kid's club.  I remember riding home as fast as my legs could go to tell my parents the good news.  I had a job (at 14) and I finally could go to a gym, and I had accomplished this all on my own.  Soon after I started my new job I remember going to my first step aerobics class and feeling exhilarated,  and I didn't have to do that same step aerobics VHS tape for the 52nd time.

90s flashback anyone?  Leotards, hi-tops, spandex, action!

Thanks to my fitness idols igniting my fitness buzz and the free gym membership I scored via my first job, fitness has enhanced my life and I feel passionate about passing that buzz onto others.  I have taught group exercise classes over the past 10 years including kickboxing, cycling, boot camp, yoga, and step.  And in 2011 I became certified to teach body pump.  Fitness has helped me to recover more quickly after having my babies, it gives me the break I need while raising those babies, and it is something that I can do for me, it is my gig.  I hope to ignite the fitness buzz in you, or maybe it is already there, it just needs to be re-buzzed.


Check back on Wednesday to read fitness + you.

What inspires you?  What are your fitness goals?  Why do you do what you do?

Bench press image  via 

Step image  via 

Heart rate chart via

Friday Link Love

We hope you like this weeks links, we sure do. We go from hipster to hippie with a delicious cupcake tossed in for good measure. I mean who doesn't like a good cupcake? If such a person exists scientists should study them as they are clearly not normal. 

• Wooden Bow Ties: Nothing says hipster like a wooden bow tie. 
• Oh So Delicious Cupcakes: Ever since we left Portland we have been in cupcake withdrawals. Well we finally found a shop that rivals our favorite cupcake place of all time, Saint Cupcake. If you are in SLC you have to try One Sweet Slice. Simply divine. Plus their shop is oh so cute.  And don't miss out on their wedding cakes. 
• Great Wall Art: Speaking of Portland, a couple of years ago one of us received this great poster of Portland neighborhoods {custom framed} for a birthday present [you get one guess who was the giver]. Portlandians love their neighborhoods. Each one is a little different and all are quirky. Especially the ones with the hippies. We have this hanging in our front room and we love how it reminds us of the memories we made while living there for 5 years. 
• Costume Fun:  Helen Saba, of Australia, loves to dress up so much she decided to dress up in a different costume every single day for a year. Fun people make the world a better place.
• Good Reads: Following up on Kristian's top 25 books list post we wanted to make sure you know about Good Reads. A great place to keep track of all the books you've read, or want to read. Get great recommendations, and connect with friends who have the same interests. Or surreptitiously find out who is reading 50 Shades of Gray. {Naughty. Naughty.} Make sure to click our names {Em and Kristian} to add us as friends. 

Spice up your Spice Rack

Em and I have a friend named Taryn [name not changed to protect the innocent, because Taryn is wonderful]. A few years ago her husband hit the ripe old age of 30. Thirty is a significant birthday. It’s officially the age when you become an adult. I know, 21 is the official government recognized age of adulthood, but most folks in their 20’s are still in college, single, and blissfully unaware of coming responsibilities. But something happens at 30. I can’t really explain it. You feel like it is time to move into a new phase of your life. To shrug off the things of your youth and step into the life of adulthood.

From comic Poorly Drawn Lines

Taryn, being a wonderful wife, threw her husband a great 30^th birthday party. She rented out a cozy little place, secretly invited all of his friends, and whipped up the delicious food for the evening. It was a wonderful moment for him. Here he is, surrounded by close friends and family celebrating a significant day in his life.

What does this have to do with spice racks you ask?  Stick with me for a few more sentences and all will become clear.

Last year Emily turned 30. You'd hope that I would have followed in our friend's shoes and properly celebrate Em's day. But I didn't. I dropped the ball. I was the complete opposite of Taryn. I didn't do anything special. I didn't make a big deal of her big day. In fact, I don’t even think I gave her a gift until the day after her birthday. And that gift was something I spent 10 minutes on [a quick trip to World Market to pick out a necklace. It was a cool necklace…but still…] Emily was, how can I put this delicately, none-too-pleased. I mean I blew it. I totally muffed. I was a very bad husband.

Clearly this year I had some making up to do. SIGNIFICANT MAKING UP. It was the Mount Everest of making up.

Everest, smaller than the trouble I caused myself.

I couldn't erase the disappointment I caused last year. But I knew if I put some thought, heart, and soul into her birthday this year, I would be able to at least create a memory that will hopefully be longer lasting than the sad and disappointing memory I gave her for her 30^th birthday.

To make up for my sad showing I employed a three pronged strategy. Friends, Food, Function. Guys pay attention.

Kristian's Top 25 Books

One of my dreams is to have a man cave that looks like this...

Jay Walker's private library. I'm a tad bit envious.

Or at least an awesome stair case like this...

The smartest stairs on the planet

Yup. I'm a reader. I love me a good book. I wasn't always like this. In fact, I don't think I picked up a book all through high school. Just ask my teachers.

But a few years ago, Em and I moved to Portland, Oregon [totally awesome place. Make sure you put it on your Must Visit List]. And I started taking the light rail into work. The ride was about 40 minutes each way. And well to pass the time, it was either people watch, which I enjoyed, but folks found a bit creepy, "Why is that guy staring at me". Or I could read. Thus began my love affair with books.

I thought it would be fun to share a list of my top 25 favorite books. This list always changes. I suppose it would stay the same if I stopped reading. But that is unlikely to happen anytime soon. The list is in no particular order...except for the top two. They are by far my favorite. I suppose I should break the list up into categories but I'm not going to. I'm just going to list them as they come to mind. I'd love to hear what some of your favorite reads are. I am always looking for good recommendations.

Ok. Here we go. [Each book is linked to amazon, just click on the title to purchase. Some are even free if you have a Kindle]

Friday Link Love

Ok friends. Each Friday we are going to link to some of our favorite sites, discoveries, bloggers, and quirky little spots on the internet. Here is our first link love list. A couple of cool finds, a standard, some fun stuff, and one of our favorite blogs. Ready. Set. Go.

• Staman Maps - Turn any map into a water color...perhaps we should not put this one up because then you'll know how we created our blog header...but that's not like us. We say, share the love. 
• Below the Boat - A door into another world. These laser cut, hand crafted heirloom quality masterpieces are a view of what lies beneath the surface. Now we just need to convince them to make one of the Great Salt Lake. 

• Emily Henderson - We became a fan of this gal after seeing her on Design Star. Especially after we found out she was from Portland, OR and a Mormon...ok so she is a former Mormon but we won't hold that against her. She is witty, stylish, and down right inspirational. Check out her blog and put her on your permanent to-read list. 
• Apartment Therapy - Pure eye candy; cause sometimes ya just wanna browse and oo and ah.  It is one of our favorite spots because each post is all about the everyday person making the space they live in their own.
• Rob Taylor - Rob is an old fried of ours from back in the Connecticut days. He is also a fantastic photographer, singer/songwriter, and budding graphic artist. If you like a little Star Wars, and really who doesn't, click the link for his hip Star Wars inspired art work. 

Welcome

Hi, and thanks for stopping by. We welcome you to our little blog. We hope it becomes a part of your weekly reading.

The Corner of Canal and Lafayette was founded on a snowy day in January 2013. After surviving the 2012 Mayan Apocalypse we thought…well what now…the obvious choice? Start a blog.

We can hear you asking, “So what’s up with the name? It’s kinda strange”. When we created this blog we wanted the name to have meaning to us. And what is more meaningful than the place you met the love of your life.

It was the spring of 2002. A Utah boy and a Utah girl were separately having grand adventures in the New York/ New England area. They did not know each other but fate was about to change that. The girl had moved to New York on a whim to be a nanny. The boy, feeling like it was time for a change, applied for jobs all up and down the east coast and landed a position at the University of Connecticut. 

One spring day the girl headed into New York City with three friends to enjoy a little shopping in the city. That same day the boy also headed into New York City to enjoy a little shopping…we kid. He went in with a buddy of his to check out the St Patrick’s Day parade and the big city girls. Little did they know this was the day the universe had conspired to have these two Utah natives randomly meet in New York City on the Corner of Canal & Lafayette. Fast forward three weeks. Boy and girl have hung out almost every day since meeting. They decide to go to dinner after work. On the way to dinner Boy and Girl get engaged. And have lived happily ever after.

Here we are, ten years on, back in Utah, after stints in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Portland Oregon. 

We compliment each other. Emily is more organized and focused while Kristian is more spontaneous and silly.

Over the past couple of years we have been bitten by the DIY bug. We love making things for our home. This blog is going to share some of the projects we take on. Along the way we will also be sharing other random happenings from our life - like trying to be good parents, budgeting, staying fit, eating right, and just plain having fun.  

So we welcome you. We hope you become a long time friend. 



Emily & Kristian

DIY Tufted Coffee Table

The first project of 2013 is complete! Already ahead of schedule - we want to do at least one a month. It will probably end up being more. We are just about done with our third this month - future blog posts coming. 

 It was fun, quick, and inexpensive.

Em and I love DIY projects. Why? Well, we always learn something new, we get the satisfaction that comes along with making something with our own hands, and it’s humbling. Ok maybe we don’t LOVE that last part.

Em and I are slowly, ever so slowly, creating a grown up living room [I almost wrote Adult Room, but that is a whole other room and this is a family blog]. Piece by piece we are either replacing the IKEA furniture or turning the IKEA furniture into something fabulous.

The first project of the year was updating our coffee table [which used to be our dining table, before we lopped its legs off] into something a little…well…prettier. And, I think we pulled it off. What do you think?

Here is how we did it in 10 steps...